B.C.’s construction workforce needs revamping through an inclusivity lens so that more homes get built.
That’s according to data from Prism Construction, a B.C.-based firm known for designing and delivering custom commercial and industrial spaces that concluded the workforce is not diverse, current employees are aging, and there is a serious need for inclusivity.
The firm says women represent just 14.6 per cent of B.C.’s construction workforce, and non-white workers account for only 9.1 per cent within the construction sector.
“The industries are still male-dominated, and Caucasian-dominated. With the makeup of the population of Canada and our city, it shouldn’t be like that anymore,” said Omar Rawji, CEO of Prism Construction.
He added skilled workers in construction are aging, and there is a need to replace them with young immigrants who want to work.
Clara Benitez, a skilled labourer with Prism Construction from Mexico, said it’s great to see diversity in construction but more work needs to be done.
“I was a radiologist in Mexico but since I moved to Canada, I am working in construction and my English sometimes becomes a barrier so helps to work at a steel plant with other Latino women,” said Benitez.
A 2024 report from the Real Estate Institute of British Columbia, titled Demography & Demand: The Changing Context for Real Estate Occupations in British Columbia, noted between 2021 and 2041, B.C.’s population is projected to grow by 2,194,143 people, an increase of 42 per cent.
As a result of population growth, the report said B.C.’s total housing demand is projected to increase from 2,113,315 units in 2021 to 2,696,398 by 2031, and further to 3,206,927 by 2041. Over the next 20 years, this represents an increase of 1,093,613 units, or a 52 per cent increase from 2021.
Future housing demand therefore requires construction labour in the coming years.
"Preparing for this transformation to ensure a robust labour force and improved process efficiencies requires collaboration across government, educational institutions, and industry leaders to ensure the resilience and sustainability of the real estate sector," Real Estate Institute of B.C. president Clayton Olson said in a statement.
The B.C. government introduced Bill 15, the Infrastructure Projects Act, on May 1 and hopes to get it passed before the end of the spring sitting of the legislature on May 29.
Bill 15 will speed up approval of major public infrastructure projects, such as housing, schools and hospitals.
Prime Minister Mark Carney’s housing plan includes doubling the rate of housing construction and building 500,000 new homes a year, a GST waiver for newly built homes priced between $1 million and $1.5 million as well as a review of the mortgage market.
Yet the question remains, how the demand for workers will be met to meet the target of half a million homes a year. The Canadian construction industry alone requires close to one million workers, according to the Canadian Construction Association. It is not clear how the parties hope to fulfil this demand for skilled labour.
“An influx of immigrants is needed to keep the economy healthy, but Canada’s existing policy isn’t helping the construction industry. We need to remove the bias and award more points to applicants with experience in trades or as construction labourers,” the Canadian Construction Association said on its website.
With files from Jami Makan/BIV
